A Princess Party

By: Sam

Hey Guys! Hope you all survived the moody Mondays. This past weekend my niece, Leyla celebrated her 5th birthday with the help of a Disney princess theme. The weather was gorgeous, the kids were aplenty, and the food was delicious. Appropriately,  Leyla dressed up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast 🙂

I wanted to take this opportunity to wear my newNARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($25) in their new shade, “Cruella” which is a beautiful scarlet red. I used my favorite NARS blush ($29), “Luster”, my favorite YSL “Shocking” Mascara in jade black ($30), and finally highlight my brow bones with Benefit’s Watts Up highlighter ($30). I must say I felt like a princess myself. After many humid sticky summer days, this past Saturday was the perfect weather to be dolled up. Below is a slideshow of some photos of my makeup look and of the party:

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I also met a girl named Zomely. The first thing I noticed was her hair (of course), it was so long and healthy! Aside from having a blog worthy look, she was very sweet and open to sharing the scoop on her beauty:

Name: Zomely

Age: 19

Location: Westchester, NY

Favorite Beauty Product: “Lancome Liquid Eyeliner ($30) is my staple”.

On her waves: “I braid my hair when it’s wet, let it dry, and undo the braids”.

What’s your beauty secret? “This may sound weird but caffeine, it gives me enough energy to work out and feel good and helps control my appetite”.

Tell us! What makes you feel beautiful?

Back to school Beauty: San Juan edition

by : Katrina

Hello everyone! As I said on Manicure Monday I recently relocated to San Juan, Puerto Rico. I’m a Virgo- I just can’t keep still. I got tired of work, work, oh and more work (& New Jersey) so I decided to just get up, leave, and go back to school. Why Puerto Rico? Why not? 😉 Coming from the hot NYC summer I figured the transition to the humid, rainy 90 degree weather everyday of PR would be a piece of cake but I was completely wrong.

1. my face freaked out – I have normal skin and never had problems with breakouts until I got here! It’s probably because of all the sweating. i know, gross.

2. Is there such thing as hair sun burn? because I definitely acquired that here.

3. I feel like I’m getting darker and darker by the second. Sun block has become part of my daily regimen for my entire body! (I don’t want to come back looking like a leather bag) same goes for OFF bug spray 😦

4. Last but definitely not least: Make-up. I’m limited to cool lipstick, mascara, little blush, and eyeliner if I’m lucky. Foundation or anything else? It’s just too hot for all that!

With the help of:

Cetaphil Dermacontrol Mosturizer SPF 30– Aveeno Daily moisturizer was too heavy and thick for me in this heat. This moisturizer is for acne prone skin, absorbs quickly to restore your skin’s natural balance, and provide a non-greasy, matte finish.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunscreen – SPF 70- the sun is real out here! This is my favorite sunblock so far. It’s super light weight and smells like baby lotion.

Aveeno Calming Body Wash– showering 3x/day, sunblock, and bug spray can definitely dry out your skin so bars of soap are out of the question for me. This creamy lather moisturizes my skin and is enriched with natural ingredients known for their calming benefits.

Shea Moisture Deep Masque -weekly for my sun burnt hair (product review in previous post :P)

I think I’m back to school ready!

Here is a slide show of some of my daily looks! enjoy 🙂

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Anyone have suggestions on lightweight foundations with SPF? something that can withstand this heat!

Beauty & the Beach

By: Kim

BBQs, beaches, burgers and (in Katrina’s case) bonfires all come to mind when we look back on our 4th of July weekend festivities. Although we couldn’t be together on the 4th, Sam, Katrina and I always look forward to getting dolled up for holidays & special occasions. At the pool, on the beach, and in the sun, we wanted to take the time to share with you all our beauty picks for the 4th of July!

Kim: I’ll be honest–I’m having full fledged regrets about attending 4 BBQs in 4 days. From Queens to Brooklyn to Jersey and back to BK–my 4th of July weekend was nothing short of a journey. My makeup choices varied slightly from day to night, transitioning from a sparkly eye (Sephora collection Silk blush/bronzer duo (used as shadow) no longer available :() and nude lip (Buxom’s Full Bodied Lipstick in “Nudist,” $21 at Sephora) during the day at the pool to a muted eye (Loreal Telescopic mascara in blackest black $8.49 at Target) bronze cheek (NARS blush in “Super Orgasm”) and a bold lip 👄 (“Heaux” by Rihanna for Mac). Snapping pics only on the 4th, the rest of the weekend was a beautifully FULL-filling blur, lol.

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Also check out pics of my friends/ family and their beauty choices 🙂

Katrina: How was everyone’s 4th of July? For the week, My brother (who’s usually away–he’s in the Airforce) was in town so my celebration lasted from Sunday- Friday (and tired isn’t even the word to describe me right now!) After many exhausting but fun adventures in the city and spending time with family all week, I ended my July 4th pretty low key-which is very unusual for me. My Thursday began with shopping and ended with great food, great company, fireworks, and a bon fire. After living in a city all my life, it felt like my friends and I had a serious case of suburbia; who sets up a bon fire on the sidewalk, makes smores, while sitting around the fire in 90 degree weather?! We did. And I enjoyed every second of it! (The smoke also kept the bugs away, so my legs were spared that night.) Also, from what I can remember, my partner Kimmie and I were beer pong champions- I could be wrong though lol. Hope everyone enjoyed as much as I did! Now its back to work ::crying::

My make up choice was pretty similar to my everyday look – just a little extra eyeliner and coats of mascara . I’m obsessed with nude lips !

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Eyebrow powder: Anastasia brown/brunette

Eyeliner: Sonia Kashuk – black onyx longwear eyeliner

Mascara: L’oreal Telescopic Blackest black

Blush: Estée Lauder X Michael Kors deluxe blush compact

Lipstick: Kate Moss for Rimmel London 113

Nail polish: essie – Butler Please

Sam: For the 4th, I spent the weekend at Long Beach. I was super excited because it was my first time being at the beach this summer! I like to plan outfits so I don’t over pack and end up not wearing things I packed–especially for the the fourth of July. I worked my makeup around this blue tank dress with stars from ASOS. During the day I was wearing Buxom’s Big & Healthy Lip Cream in Cherry Flip ($19). It’s the perfect poppy red. I’m starting to really love lip gloss(or anything from Buxom) because it gives off that girly, playful vibe. I’m not always looking to be so severe during the day. Then at night, I opted for a red lipstick. I bought Dolce & Gabbana‘s Monica Voluptuous Lipstick ($33 in Italian Monica) specifically for July 4th. When I looked at this color I thought it was the most beautiful red I have ever seen. The warm red color is perfect for my light olive skin tone. To complete both my day and night lip looks, I paired it with NARS Blush in Luster and my go-to mascara from Buxom. Here are some pics of my beauty look for July 4th and more 🙂

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Beauty on a Budget- Tiffany

By: Sam

Hello there, beauties! Today I’d like to introduce you to an old friend of mine, Tiffany Mendez. I met Tiffany while working my first job (in retail) when I was just 18 years old. From then on, I always noticed how much she loved makeup and how impeccable her skin looked despite how much she experimented with it. In social media she refers to herself as Tiffy Rouge, where she showcases her vivacious street style and bold makeup looks (that she does all her own.) Since we’ve started blogging, I always thought she’d be the perfect girl to feature on Thirteenth & Hudson. Luckily when I asked her, she was thrilled to share her insightful & affordable beauty secrets with us and with you all :-D.

Name: Tiffany Mendez

Age: 24

Location: New York City, NY

Skin Type: Combination

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On her skincare: “Since I wear makeup on a regular basis, I need to keep my skin looking healthy at all times. We all get breakouts but I always try to keep my skin healthy by drinking lots of water. I also use homemade remedies to keep my skin glowing. Sometimes I wash my face with salt and water, which is good for breakouts and cleaning impurities. I also use apple cider vinegar with organic rose water (mixed together) as a face wash after all my makeup is removed. I use a cloth to wash, and then let it dry. The rose water kills the strong vinegar smell, so I recommend using it before bed”.

Fave Beauty Products: “My favorite foundation to use is from Neutrogena Skin Clearing Liquid Makeup (shade 60). It fights breakouts and does not clog pores. I say, run to the nearest drug store and grab it in your shade, you will thank me later (lol). I always get a medium tone or a slightly darker shade if I want a natural looking tan. My favorite mascara is Volum-Express The Falsies by Maybelline. It literally makes your eyelashes look full and longer. For lips and eye makeup, I love ‘Wet N Wild‘ products. I have recently discovered their amazing and affordable products. From lip stains to matte lipstick, you name it, they have it! I love their 967 (Dollhouse Pink) lipstick (pictured above). I advise every girl to give Wet N Wild a chance. Trust me–your bank account will thank you”.

On her hair: “My number one asset when it comes to my overall look is my hair. I prefer Organix Moroccan Oil products, it works magic on any hair type. I always try different things with my hair, from coloring to heat styling, I’ve done it all that’s why I use products that will maintain moisture and keep my hair looking healthy”.

What’s your beauty secret? “Sleep. When your body restores itself, it benefits your entire body. I try to sleep 8 hours when I can, it will prevent you from looking like the Cookie Monster or older than you actually are. Plus, always remove your makeup before bed. You will remain beautiful and younger! Hope my beauty secrets helps all the hot ladies in NYC! xx”.

For more of Tiffy Rouge, be sure to check out her YouTube channel: Tiffy Rouge and Vine: (@tiffyrouge)

On Our Radar: Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick

By: Kim

As we continue on our hunt for the perfect lip ensemble for the Spring, Sam stumbled on a new line of lipsticks from the vivacious brand, Buxom. We were instantly obsessed with these full-color, incredibly moisturizing pigments, and our collection has since grown to 3.

Infused with ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, and coconut oil, these pigments have the power to plump (without the tingle), color & moisturize all at once.

The perks? These shades are long-lasting, and feel as smooth as a Chapstick when applied!

Available at Sephora for $21, these Buxom beauties are nothing short of a dream come true.

We’re loving “Rogue”, “Nudist”, and “Exhibitionist” from the line. Which color is the perfect hue for you?

Crushing on Coral

By Samantha

As Spring slowly but surely settles in, I am in the process of making sure I have season appropriate lip colors. The most popular color in spring is coral. For my light yet olive skin tone, it is difficult to just eyeball lipstick shades. I have to spend time trying on colors and getting second opinions.

The thing that I love about coral lipstick, is that it is just as versatile as reds or pinks. Coral can come in peachier or pinkish shades, and some are bold and bright, while others are soft and sheer. A sales rep at Sephora, showed me Dolce & Gabbana’s “The Lipstick Classic Cream Lipstick” in 310- Coral. ($32, available at Sephora.com and Sephora stores). This coral is bold and more on the pink side, exactly what I was looking for. I’m obsessed!